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Rishangles
Rishangles is an almost exclusively gnomish city in eastern Erigold, located on the western edge of the Rhûnaer Ocean. It is believed to be the largest gnome settlement in the region, perhaps even in the entire world. "Ti feeralu!" - I tricked you! Description The gnomish need for new experiences guarantees that the look of Rishangles undergoes constant modification. Because of this focus on design and architecture, Rishangles architects and engineers are particularly well-known, and often possess a distinct ability to incorporate disparate elements into innovative new designs. Rishangles is easily one of the most architecturally idiosyncratic and unusual settlements. It is a confusing hodge-podge of various styles and design concepts with its crooked streets, unexpected dead ends, and outlandishly shaped public parks. Most of the buildings look like they are on the verge of collapse, with clashing additional floors and annexes stacked next to and on top of one another, but most are actually quite structurally sound. A few times a year, however, an ambitious gnome hoping to outclass his neighbours in building height or extravagance, pushes the boundaries too far, and causes his and neighbouring structures to come crashing down. Inhabitants The city has a proportionately large population of bards, alchemists and artists. Merchant Lords The merchant lords are the unofficial nobility of gnome society. They have no set role in running either society at large or the municipalities in which they live, but they are still undoubtedly at the top of the social ladder. Some merchant lords take an active part in their community’s welfare as members of its council, but being a merchant lord does not mean a gnome must also be a political figure. Middle Class the middle class is composed primarily of those employed by the merchant lords, either directly or indirectly. Every urban middle-class gnome dwelling - typically a multifamily structure - also holds a business, complete with a small public area where goods or services are sold. Those with perishable goods often travel to an amphitheatre and hall to form a sort of farmer’s market every other day. Children of urban-dwelling gnomes attend gnome-only academies, often partially funded by one or more merchant lords. Artisans and Rebels While the merchant lords and the middle class that supports them form a group rightly seen as a pillar of gnome society, that pillar has a twin that is equally necessary for social stability. The second pillar is a group made up of both the artists and the rebels of society - those who chose to live outside the classic economic and class structure. Their pursuit of the arts allows the gnomes to reach for something greater than their mundane lives offer, and their criticism of both society as a whole and the dealings of the merchant lords in particular allows gnome culture to avoid stagnation and remain flexible. Notable Locations * Chapel of Garl Glittergold * Shrine to Gelf Darkhearth (Races of Stone, p43) * Shrine to Sheyanna Flaxenstrand (Races of Stone, p45) Category:The Great Arcana Totality Category:Erigold Category:City